3500-500 B.C.
CHAPTER 2: WESTERN ASIA & EGYPT
Chapter 2: Section 1
CIVILIZATION BEGINS IN MESOPOTAMIA
THE FERTILE CRESCENT
The land between the Tigris and Euphrates
Rivers was known as “Mesopotamia”.
 Mesopotamia was located at the eastern end of
the Fertile Crescent, an arc of land from the
Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf.
 This land would be enriched by large deposits
of silt, which was deposited by the two rivers
during unpredictable flooding in late spring.
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THE FERTILE CRESCENT
People in Mesopotamia
controlled flooding by
creating irrigation and
drainage ditches.
 This allowed for the
growing of an
abundance of food and
civilization emerged.
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THE FERTILE CRESCENT
The Sumerians were
the creators of the
first Mesopotamian
civilization.
 The Mesopotamians
were polytheistic
believing in over
3,000 different gods
or goddesses.
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SUMERIAN CITIES
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By 3,000 B.C. the
Sumerians had
established a number
of independent citystates in southern
Mesopotamia,
including Eridu, Ur,
and Uruk.
SUMERIAN CITIES
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Sumerian cities like Uruk,
were surrounded by walls as
long as 10 km with defense
towers every 10 meters.
Uruk, one of the largest
cities had a population of an
estimated 50,000 people by
2700 B.C.
Walls and structures were
made of sun dried brick due
to a lack of wood and stone
for building purposes.
RELIGION AND RULERS
The most prominent
building in a Sumerian
city was the temple
built to honour the local
deity.
 The temple was bulit
upon a massive
stepped tower like
structure called a
Ziggurat.
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RELIGION AND RULERS
The Temples and related buildings served as
the center of the city physically, economically,
and even politically.
 Surplus food and crafts were stored in the
temple and then distributed or traded.
 It is possible that the early priests had a part in
ruling and the Sumerian government was a
theocracy- a government by divine authority.
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RELIGION AND RULERS
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Eventually power
would reside in the
office of the king who
would lead armies,
supervise public
works construction
and organized
workers for irrigation
projects.
WRITING AND LITERATURE
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Around 3,000 B.C. the
Sumerians created a
cuneiform system of writing.
Using a reed stylus , they
made wedge shaped
impressions on clay tablets,
which were then baked in
the sun.
A system of writing was
important because it allowed
for the keeping of records
and the passing of
knowledge.
WRITING AND LITERATURE
One of the earliest
surviving works of
Sumerian literature is
the Epic of
Gilgamesh.
 It tells the tale of the
adventures the Uruk
King, Gilgamesh and
his friend Enkidu.
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TECHNOLOGY
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The Sumerians developed several tools and techniques that
made life easier.
It is believed they were the first to use the wagon wheel for
transportation.
The potters wheel was created to craft containers.
The sundial helped them keep an accurate track of time.
They were the first to use the arch in buildings.
It is believed the Sumerians were the first to craft bronze
from copper and tin.
They developed a number system based on 60.
Geometry was used to measure fields and chart the
constellations.
THE AKKADIAN AND BABYLONIAN EMPIRES
To the north of the
Sumerian city-states
were the Akkadians.
 Around 2340 B.C.
Sargon their leader
conquered the
Sumerian city-states
and established the
first empire.
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THE AKKADIAN AND BABYLONIAN EMPIRES
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The Akkadian Empire would
fall around 2100 B.C., due
to increased attacks from its
neighbours.
Independent city-states
fought for control until 1792
B.C. when Hammurabi, the
sixth king of the Amorite
Dynasty came to power in
Babylon.
He gained control over the
cities of Sumer and Akkad,
creating a new Babylonian
Empire.
THE CODE OF HAMMURABI
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One of Hammurabi’s
greatest achievements was
the creation of a single
unified legal code.
The Code of Hammurabi
was based on strict justice
and penalties were severe.
It dealt with criminal,
commercial, legislative, and
public law covering just
about every aspect of
people’s lives.
HAMMURABI’S EMPIRE